Tongs.



N. C. SORENSEN.

TONGS.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAYIo. A1916.

Lww., Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

mains onnrsrrnn'sonnnsnn, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

Patented Mar. 27,' 121'?.

TONGS.

jILQQQDQ, Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 10, 1916. Serial No. 96,472.

To all whom it may com a Be it known that I, NnaLs` C. SoRnNsEN, a subject of the King of Denmark, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Tongs, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tongs especially designed for use by blacksmiths, or the like, in holding small pieces ofmetal in welding or otherwise treating the Same.

, rIhe object of my invention is the production of a device of this character which will be of durable and economical construction, one which will be adapted to securely` hold the object engaged thereby, and one which may be readily and easily operated.

Other objects will appear hereinafter;

With these objects in view, the invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will-be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming appart of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a. pair of tongs embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a substantially central longitudinal section of the tongs, and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line m-m of Fig. 2. A

The preferred form of construction, as

illustrated in the drawings, comprisesy a tu bular handle 1 bifurcated at its front end to form spaced parallel branches 2. Arranged between the branches 2 are gripping jaws 3 pivotally connected intermediate their ends with the branches 2 by means of a pivot pin 4 which passes through flanges or webs 5 provided at the inner sides of jaws 3.

Shiftably mounted in the handle l is a rod 6 bifurcated at its front end and operatively connected by means of a toggle 7 with the rearward ends of jaws. 3. Said toggle, as will be seen, is pivotally connected ai; its ends with the rearward ends of flanges or webs 5, pivot pin 8, at the knee joint of said toggle, having its ends extended for sliding engagement with elongated longitudinally extending slots 9 which are formed in the handle branches 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The outer ends of the links of toggle 7 are formed with square shoulders 10 which are adapted to engage against the inner sides of jaws 3 to limit rearward rocking of the inner ends of said toggles. The slots 9 are vso arranged that the same serve to limit rearward movement of the pin 8, and thus coperate wlth the corners 10, in the performance of the function above referred to.

'rocked to releasing position through the medium of an angular hand lever 13 which is fulcrumed at 11 to the bifurcated rearward end of handlel, said lever being pivotally connected at l5 with the rearward end of rod 6. The free end of said hand lever projects forwardly as seen, 4for ready manual engagement in the gripping of the rearward end of handle 1, so that, when it is desired to rock the jaws 3 to releasing position, it is only necessary to depress said lever. During use of the tool, the jaws are held in gripping relation through the pressure of spring l1, the pressure of the hand of the operator being used only to rock the gripping jaws to releasing position.

The spring 1l is located at the extreme `rearward end of the tool so that the same will not become heated and thus the temper removed therefrom, when the front end of the tongs is engaged with a hot piece of work, or is thrust into the fire, during use of the tool. The slots 9 serve to guide the pin 8, of the knee joint of the toggle, in the shifting of the rod 6 and thus relieve said rod of lateral strains which the same would otherwise be required to bear.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into efect,this is capable of variation and modification 'without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of r the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an elongated handle having a bifurcated front end; a pair of gripping jaws arranged between the branches at the front end of 'said handle and pivotally oonnected intermediate their ends with said branches; means for operating said jaws, said means comprising a rod movable longitudinally of said handle; a toggle having its ends connected with the rearward ends of said jaws; a pin connecting the knee joint of said toggle with the forward end of said rod whereby said jaws will be operated upon shifting of said rod; means coperating with said pin for guiding the same in a direction longitudinally of said handle upon shifting of said rod; and means for shifting said rod, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of an elongated handle having a bifurcated front end; a pair of gripping jaws arranged between the branches at the front end of said handle and pivotally connected intermediate their ends with said branches; means for operating saidjaws, said means comprising a rod movable longitudinally of said handle; a togglel having its ends connected with the rearward ends of said jaws; a pin connecting the knee oint of said toggle with the forward end of said rod whereby said jaws will be operated upon shifting of said rod, said handle branches having longitudinally extending slots engaging with the ends of said pin for guiding the same in a direction longitudinally of said handle upon shifting of said rod; and means for shifting said rod, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of an elongated tubular handle; a pair of gripping jaws having pivotal connection intermediate their ends with the front ends of said handle; means for operating said jaws, said means comprising a rod mounted in said handle for longitudinal shifting; a toggle operatively connecting the front end of said rod with the rearward ends of said jaws, whereby said jaws will be operated upon shifting of said rod; a helical compression spring encircling the rearward end of said rod and interposed between the rearward end of said handle and an enlargement on said rod for normally holding said jaws in gripping relation; and a hand lever fulcrumed on the rearward end of said handle and operatively connected with the rearward end of said rod for shifting the latter. substantially as described.

In testimony whereof` I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NIELS CHRISTIAN SORENSEN.

Witnesses:

JOSHUA R. H. Po'r'rs, HELEN F. LILLIs. 

